In this lesson
Build an explanation with an ordinary reveal and a separate button-triggered answer.
Example
Explain the August peak
Use a slide titled Ticket volume peaked in August, with a large text label August: 1,610 tickets and an answer box reading Check staffing and repeat-contact causes before deciding. The answer describes a next investigation, not a proven cause. Add a separate button labelled Show investigation. All material is supplied here; a chart is optional.
How it works
Object animations can make an item appear, draw attention to it or remove it. Transitions move between slides. Decide what the audience should see first, then add only the effects needed for that order.
On Click, With Previous and After Previous specify timing. A trigger refers to a particular clicked object; it is different from clicking anywhere on the slide to advance the next animation.
Steps
Create a Title Only slide with the title, August value, answer box and Show investigation button. Name the last two objects Answer-box and Investigation-button in the Selection Pane.
Select the August value and choose Animations › Fade. Set Start to On Click with a short duration, approximately 0.5 seconds, so the value appears on a deliberate advance.
Select the answer box and add an entrance effect using Add Animation where necessary. Open Animations › Animation Pane and confirm that the intended answer effect is present exactly once.
Select that answer effect in the pane. Choose Trigger › On Click of and select Investigation-button; on Mac the trigger control is on the Animations tab for supported Microsoft 365 versions.
In the Animation Pane, check that the answer effect sits under Investigation-button. Start Slide Show and advance once to reveal August: 1,610 tickets. The answer should stay hidden while you remain on this slide.
Click Show investigation and confirm the answer appears. Reset the show and repeat the test; then create a non-triggered duplicate slide with the answer visible as a fallback for unsupported viewers.
Try it yourself
- Add an exit Fade to Answer-box after its entrance if you want a dismissal experiment. Keep the original entrance trigger and inspect the Animation Pane to ensure the additional effect did not replace it.
- Explain aloud why the peak alone does not establish a cause. Test the linear fallback slide using only Next, without relying on the mouse finding a small button.
Show expected result
- One ordinary advance shows the 1,610-ticket label; the named button reveals the investigation answer.
- The fallback communicates the same answer without a trigger, and no statement claims a proven cause.
If something goes wrong
- The new exit effect removed the entrance effect.
- Undo and use Add Animation rather than selecting a replacement from the ordinary gallery. Confirm two distinct entries on the same object in the Animation Pane.
- The answer appears when clicking anywhere.
- Select the answer effect in the Animation Pane and check its trigger target. Set it to Investigation-button. Restart Slide Show from the beginning, reveal the value, then click the named button.
Quick check
Try these questions after the exercise. Check the result in your app before marking the lesson complete.
Choose an answer for all 3 questions to check your understanding.
Optional: try it with Copilot
If you have Copilot, try this after the exercise. Keep the original file and compare its suggestions with your own result.
Suggest a cautious explanation of an August ticket peak without inventing the cause. Propose one reveal label and one investigation question using 1,610 tickets.
More from Microsoft
These Microsoft guides cover the tools used in this lesson.
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